openssl/doc/crypto/RAND_bytes.pod
2000-01-27 01:25:31 +00:00

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=pod
=head1 NAME
RAND_bytes, RAND_pseudo_bytes - Generate random data
=head1 SYNOPSIS
#include <openssl/rand.h>
int RAND_bytes(unsigned char *buf, int num);
int RAND_pseudo_bytes(unsigned char *buf, int num);
=head1 DESCRIPTION
RAND_bytes() puts B<num> cryptographically strong pseudo-random bytes
into B<buf>. An error occurs if the PRNG has not been seeded with
enough randomness to ensure an unpredictable byte sequence.
RAND_pseudo_bytes() puts B<num> pseudo-random bytes into B<buf>.
Pseudo-random byte sequences generated by RAND_pseudo_bytes() will be
unique if they are of sufficient length, but are not necessarily
unpredictable. They can be used for non-cryptographic purposes and for
certain purposes in cryptographic protocols, but usually not for key
generation etc.
=head1 RETURN VALUES
RAND_bytes() returns 1 on success, 0 otherwise. The error code can be
obtained by L<ERR_get_error(3)|ERR_get_error(3)>. RAND_pseudo_bytes() returns 1 if the
bytes generated are cryptographically strong, 0 otherwise. Both
functions return -1 if they are not supported by the current RAND
method.
=head1 SEE ALSO
L<rand(3)|rand(3)>, L<err(3)|err(3)>, L<RAND_add(3)|RAND_add(3)>
=head1 HISTORY
RAND_bytes() is available in all versions of SSLeay and OpenSSL. It
has a return value since OpenSSL 0.9.5. RAND_pseudo_bytes() was added
in OpenSSL 0.9.5.
=cut